1890 The first steam driven RNLI lifeboat
The first motorised RNLI lifeboat, the Duke of Northumberland, was steam powered. She first went into service at Harwich Lifeboat Station in September 1890.
The hydraulic steam driven lifeboat used waterjets instead of propellers. This advance in technology would be used to replace the rowing boats used by the RNLI to date and marked the beginnings of modernisation across the lifeboat fleet.
The RNLI would commission five more steam lifeboats. Two of these – City of Glasgow and Queen used waterjets; the other three – City of Glasgow II, James Stevens No. 3 and James Stevens No. 4 were propeller driven.
The three steam driven lifeboats were in service for over 40 years and saved 570 lives. But lighter, faster, cheaper petrol driven boats would soon start to appear.
In 1900, James Stevens No. 4 was wrecked at Padstow with the loss of eight crew, it marked the end for steam. No more steam driven RNLI lifeboats were ever built.
